Sadie's Song
by peytona05
Summary: Sadie and her family & friends plan a surprise birthday party for Hal.
1. MIA

It was the last day of school before spring break began, and Hal's birthday was the following weekend. As usual, he had been acting like himself by trying to figure out just what we had planned for him. But he spent the week leading up to his birthday in a way that he never expected.

Hal and I were walking home together from school, arguing about who had a better reason to use the telephone when we reached the house, and as we passed by the music shop, Hal abruptly decided that he needed a new guitar pick.

I rolled my eyes as I replied, "Your birthday is next Saturday; you could just ask Mom and Dad for a new pick...even a new guitar if you wanted to."

"Why would I want to do that when I could just ask for something more practical, like a sister that doesn't whine and complain so much?"

I watched as my brother entered the store, determined not to let him get under my skin. While waiting for Hal to return, I felt one gloved hand cover my mouth to keep me from shouting and another wrap around my waist. In my ear I heard a voice whisper, "As long as you keep quiet and don't struggle, everything will be just fine."

I quietly shook my head in agreement. I was let go, and my captor led me down the street and around the corner. We stopped in front of an old warehouse. After carefully looking to make sure no one was watching, my abductor reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. He unlocked the door, returned the key to his pocket, and dragged me into the building. I sat at a rickety card table that I was pointed to, and I wondered what would happen when Hal noticed that I was no longer waiting for him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hal exited the music shop slowly counting his change. Without looking up, he simply said, "Come on, Sadie. Let's go." It wasn't until he entered the house and didn't hear me shut the door that he realized that I had not followed him home.

"Hm," Hal said to himself, "I guess she went over to the animal shelter."

With that, Hal headed up to the attic to play his guitar.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mom called up to the attic when it was time for dinner. Hal bounded down the attic stairs, and entered the kitchen.

"Is Sadie on her way down?" Dad asked as he helped Mom set the table.

Peeking in the oven, Hal responded, "She isn't up there. I haven't seen her since school let out this afternoon."

"What do you mean? Didn't she come home with you?" Mom wanted to know.

"Well, we started to walk home together, but I stopped at the music shop, and I didn't notice that she wasn't with me until after I got home. I guess she headed over to Dr. Finch's from there."

Mom was beginning to look worried. She told my dad and my brother to eat without her, because she needed to make some phone calls.

Closing the door to her study behind her, Mom picked up her telephone, and dialed the number to Dr. Finch's animal shelter.

"Dr. Finch, this is Jane Hawthorne, Sadie's mom. She wouldn't happen to be over there, would she?"

The elderly gentleman replied, "No, ma'am, I haven't seen her in a couple of days. Is everything all right, Mrs. Hawthorne?"

"Oh, I'm sure she's fine, Dr. Finch. But she hasn't come home yet, and that just isn't like her at all."

Dr. Finch promised to let Mom know if he saw or heard from me. Mom thanked him, hung up, then dialed Margaret's number.

After discovering that I wasn't at Margaret's house, and that I hadn't been there, Mom called Rain's house.

Rain informed my mother that I wasn't at his house either, which left her with only one other alternative. She dialed one last number, then said to the other party, "Yes, my name is Jane Hawthorne, and my daughter is missing..."


	2. The Telephone

Margaret and Rain stopped by the house the following afternoon to see if there was anything they could do to help in my parents' search for me.  
"Mrs. Hawthorne and I are going down to the station to finish filing that report," Dad told my friends. "Hal is planning on going out with some friends in a little while, so could the two of you stay here in case she calls or comes home?"

"Sure," Rain stated. "It's no problem."

Maragaret agreed. "Yeah, whatever will get Sadie back."

My parents walked out the door, leaving Rain and Margaret to make themselves comfortable. Rain turned the television on, Maragaret made each of them a sandwich, and they sat on the couch, watching a movie and listening for the phone in case it rang.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My family hadn't been home long when the telephone began to ring. Removing the phone from its cradle, Dad spoke into the receiver, "Hawthorne residence."

A deep, quiet voice on the other end asked, "Is this Sadie's father?"

My father immediately straightened. "Yes, it is. Who is this? Where is she? Is she all right?"

His questions caught the attention of my mom. "What is he saying, Walter?" she whispered excitedly.

Dad placed his free hand on Mom's shoulder to calm her down. "Yes, I'm listening."

"Meet me in the park by the fountain next Saturday afternoon at three." My abductor paused, then added, "Tell your son to bring his guitar as a ransom for Sadie."

_Click_. My father returned the telephone to its cradle.

"What did the man say?" Mom asked again.

He didn't answer. Instead, Dad called up to the attic, "Hal, can you come down here for a moment? I need to talk to you."

"I'm practicing," my brother returned. "Can't it wait?"

"No, son, it can't. It's important."

"Walter..." my mom's voice trailed off.

"Hold on, Jane. I'll explain as soon as Hal comes down."

My brother hurried down the stairs. "What is it?"

"How much do you love that guitar of yours, Hal?" Dad wanted to know.

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's my baby." Then Hal added suspiciously, "Why?"

"Well son, I suggest you find yourself a new baby, because that's what Sadie's captor wants as ransom."

It took a moment for Dad's words to register. "You're kidding, right? What would a total stranger want with my guitar? Unless...unless he really likes my band. No, that can't be it. Or could it? Well, anyway, forget it. I'm not giving up my guitar."

"Hal, this is your _sister_ we're talking about!" Mom cried. "You would rather part with Sadie than with your guitar?"

"I happen to like my guitar. Why on earth would I want to trade my most prized possession for someone I can't even get along with?"

"Because that's what a family does," my father said firmly, pointing a finger at Hal. "If you cared about Sadie half as much as you do that guitar of yours, I would be very impressed with you. But from what I'm hearing right now, I'm rather disappointed." Dad placed his hands on my brother's shoulders. "Hal, it's all right to enjoy the things you have, but sometimes you have to sacrifice those things for somebody else's benefit...in this case, Sadie's benefit."

Hal lowered his eyes in order to avoid our father's gaze. "Can I go now?"

"Go on," Dad replied, with a sigh. "But I don't want to hear you playing any music. Think about what I said, okay?"

Heading up the stairs, my brother silently nodded.


	3. Down Memory Lane

Hal passed my bedroom on his way to his own room. Stopping to look inside, he whispered, "Sadie, why'd you have to go and get yourself kidnapped? Do you have any idea what you're costing me?"

Propped up on my dresser was a small photo album. My brother walked over to pick it up. He glanced at the first photo and saw that it was a picture that had been taken of him holding me the day Mom and I came home from the hospital.

Hal headed down the hall and closed his bedroom door behind him. He flipped through the photographs while laying on his bed, smiling at the memories as they came back to him.

_Here's one that was taken our old house, the year I sprained my ankle tumbling down the front steps. How did I do that anyway? Oh yeah; I had been teasing Sadie, and she pushed me. This one was taken the summer we went to the beach. I broke my arm trying to master a new skateboarding trick. Sadie "nursed" me back to health by reading to me and drawing on my cast. And there we are, when we both had the chicken pox. I remember that. She and I played "Connect the Dots" with each other. Wow, it looks like we used to be best friends. I wonder what happened._

Hal returned the album to my dresser, then exited the room. He started to go back to his room, but then heard Mom call him down for dinner.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barely a word was spoken during the evening meal, but that was to be expected. Everyone had something on their mind, and they each were busy entertaining their thoughts. Both of my parents were thinking of me; Hal was meditating on the pictures he had seen a few moments earlier, and remembering the good times he and I had together when we were small.

As soon as he finished supper, Hal retired to the attic for the next few hours, listening to a CD or playing his guitar, and looking through an old photo album of his own, reminiscing about the past.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over the next few days, Rain and Margaret were in and out of the house, asking about the latest on the search for me. Mom spent the majority of her time either in her office making phone calls or running errands, and Dad did the same. Hal, of course, was either in the attic, playing his guitar, or out with his friends.

Friday evening, Mom went upstairs and joined my brother in the attic. She pulled my desk chair over to his side of the room, and said apolegetically, "Listen, Hal, I know that tomorrow's your birthday, but with all that's happened this week, your father and I just haven't had the time to plan much for you. I hope you understand."

"Yeah, Mom, I understand. Honestly, I had kind of forgotten about my birthday. Without Sadie here for me to pick on her, I've had to keep myself busy by writing some lyrics for a new song."

"Oh? Can I hear it?"

Hal smiled slightly. "Maybe some other time, Mom."

Mom started to go back downstairs, but Hal called out to her. "Hey, Mom, when did Sadie's kidnapper say he wanted my guitar?"

She looked a little surprised at the question. "Uh...tomorrow afternoon at three. At the park by the fountain."


	4. Surprise!

The following day, Mom and Dad went out to do some shopping. Hal stayed in the attic until half past two, at which time he placed his guitar in its case, grabbed his jacket, and deposited a cassette tape in his coat pocket.

He skateboarded to the park, slowing down as he neared the fountain. He started to sit on a nearby bench, but as he did so, he spotted Margaret running by.

"Margaret!" Hal called to my friend, and she jogged over to join him.

"Hey, Hal, what's up?" she panted.

"Listen, I need you to do me a favor." My brother pulled the cassette from his pocket. "Give this to Sadie the next time you hang out with her, but make sure she doesn't say anything to me about it, okay?"

"Um, okay, Hal, but you know, you could just give it to her yourself." With that, Margaret pointed over Hal's shoulder.

He turned to look behind him, and was surprised to see a crowd standing there, waiting for the perfect opportunity to yell, "Surprise!"

I came forward with a smile on my face. "Happy birthday, Hal. Margaret, it looks like our plan worked."

Maraget agreed. "I think you're right, but maybe you should explain it to your brother."

I began the tale, from start to finish. "I wasn't really kidnapped, Hal. The drummer from your band and I faked it. He took me to the old, abandoned warehouse around the corner from the music shop, and I stayed there for a few hours, until after Mom finished making her phone calls. She called Dr. Finch, Margaret, and Rain, just to let them know that the plan was being set into motion. Then she called Todd's cell phone, reporting that I was 'missing', which was the signal to drop me off at Margaret's house, where I've been staying this week. The following day, Todd called, posing once again as the kidnapper, and asking for a ransom--your guitar. The reason for that is simply this: We all chipped in and bought you a new one for you birthday."

Dad handed Hal his gift, then retrieved his old guitar from under the bench.

"What about the photo album that was propped up on your dresser? I don't remember ever seeing that there before."

"That was our idea," Rain offered. "Margaret and I figured that after you found out about the ransom that you would eventually try to blow off some steam to something of Sadie's. It was an album your parents put together, and we planted it on the dresser. Your dad gave you that speech about doing things for the benefit of someone else, right? Well, we thought that the photo album would be a nice touch."

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the park. Dad and Dr. Finch grilled hamburgers and hot dogs; Hal's band played; and everyone enjoyed each other's company. But what I will never forget is the conversation I had with Hal that night in the attic.

I joined Hal after getting my evening shower. He was busy tinkering with his new guitar, and I sat at my desk, writing in my journal. I was thinking about something Margaret had said to me at the party, and I decided to ask Hal.

"What was it that you wanted Margaret to give me?" I wanted to know.  
My brother hesitated. "Uh...nothing. It wasn't anything important."

Hal went back to playing his guitar, but it was a song I didn't recognize. I inquired, "What song are you playing?"

Once again, he didn't respond right away. "It's just a new song I've been working on for my band. You wouldn't be interested in hearing it, though."

"You don't know that. Besides, it doesn't sound like any of your other songs. Based on that alone, I love it."

Hal laughed. "Well, I guesswhen you put it that way..."

My brother began strumming the music to a slow ballad. A few moments passed, and he started to sing:

"I woke up this morning, and you were gone...Never have I felt like this--I'm all alone...I wish that you were here with me...The way it used to be...I know you think that I don't care...But I hate that you're not here...You used to always yell my name...Now things just aren't the same...To have you by my side...Would be a dream come true...If ever there were a need to cry...It would be from seeing you...Everything seems so bad...Inside I feel so empty...You're the best friend I've ever had...Sadie...To have you by my side...Would be a dream come true...If ever there were a need to cry...It would be from seeing you...Everything seems so bad...Inside I feel so empty...You're the best friend I've ever had...Sadie...Everything seems so bad...Inside I feel so empty...You're the best friend I've ever had...Sadie...You're my best friend...You're my sister...I love being with you...Sadie...Sadie...Sadie."


End file.
